Kohli, Salt assault leads RCB to 7-wicket win over KKR in IPL 2025 opener

Kolkata: Magnificent fifties by star batter Virat Kohli and new signing Phil Salt guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a comfortable seven-wicket win over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening match of the IPL 2025 here on Saturday.

Kohli (59 not out, 36b, 4×4, 3×6) and Salt (56, 31b, 9×4, 2×6) added 95 runs for the opening wicket in just 8.3 overs as RCB chased down KKR’s 174/8 in just 16.2 overs. They made 177 for three.

Earlier, skipper Ajinkya Rahane made a wonderful 56 and shared a 103-run stand for the second wicket with Sunil Narine (44, 26b) as at one stage KKR looked to break the 200-run margin with ease.

However, RCB bowlers led by left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya (3/29) staged a splendid comeback. Pacer Josh Hazlewood got two wickets.

Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders: 174/8 in 20 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 56, Sunil Narine 44, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 30; Krunal Pandya 3/29) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 177/3 in 16.2 overs (Phil Salt 56, Virat Kohli 59 not out, Rajat Patidar 34) by 7 wickets.